


Homecoming

by supercali



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Eventual Happy Ending, M/M, Post-Break Up, mentions of self harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2017-04-29
Packaged: 2018-10-16 23:27:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10581693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supercali/pseuds/supercali
Summary: Seven years after he left the village, Robert's back.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm really unsure about posting this considering the SL at the moment but I started writing it before it all kicked off onscreen.
> 
> It's a WIP but I will finish it, I just need the push to do so.
> 
> I don't mention explicitly what happened between Aaron and Robert so it's left to the imagination but it does fit in with what's gone on in the show. I just don't mention any names. I also hope it doesn't come across as not liking Robert because I do :)
> 
> I hope people like it and there will be some kind of happy ending, it just might take a while to get there.

As he sees the sign for Emmerdale approaching he pulls the car over onto the verge. He just needs a minute. He’s thought about coming back so much but now he’s here he’s terrified. He knows his sister will be happy to see him, she always is, and his nieces, but that’s probably it. He can’t blame anybody for hating him, he’s hated himself for long enough, but he wishes it was different, wishes just once he could come back to the village and not have the cloud of disappointment hanging over him.

Knowing he can’t put it off any longer he starts the engine, takes a deep breath and pulls away heading down Main Street to Keeper’s Cottage. He’s barely out of the car before there are two dark haired whirlwinds heading for him. He gathers his nieces in his arms and hugs them close.

“Hey troubles. Where’s your Mum?” God he’s missed them. He barely knows them really but for some reason they adore him. Maybe absence does make the heart grow fonder, certainly seems to in their case anyway, he has his doubts about anyone else.

“She’s in the pub.” Despite the fact that Vic still works there, his niece sounds scandalised and he laughs.

“What about your Dad?” He’s seen Adam a handful of times since he left, it would usually be Vic who brought the girls to see him but a couple of times they’ve combined it with a family holiday and Adam has come along. The two of them have become quite good at polite conversation over the years. The smaller of the two girls points at the house, “Come on then.”

“You gonna bring him in then girls or what?” Robert looks up to see the man in question leaning against the doorframe. He lets his nieces go and stands up straight, heads for Adam, bracing himself for something. “You’re here then.”

“I’m here for Vic. The girls said she’s at the pub.”

“Yeah sorting out the food. You best come in then.”

“I can stay at the B&B, I told Vic I would.” He knows this is awkward for everyone, had said as much to Vic when she called but she’d insisted and he never had been able to resist her.

“She’d kill me if I made you leave, mate.” Adam sighs, “Look it was a long time ago. You’re only here a few days, right?” The hopeful tone is enough reason for Robert to keep his possible plans to himself. He’s been considering moving back, or at least closer to the village, wanting to be near his family again, or what’s left of it. He knows it’s probably a bad idea but the reality is he’s lonely. Instead he just nods, why rock the boat when he hasn’t decided anything, won’t decide anything until all this is over.

“I’ll go over and see Vic, maybe give her a hand.” Adam doesn’t want him here, they were never the best of friends and he wants to see his sister. He can still remember him standing next to Aaron outside the pub as Robert packed up his car to leave.

“No! She...she won’t be long.” The panic in his voice is nearly enough to make Robert laugh.

“Look, it’s a small village so chances are we’re going to run into each other at some point. Perhaps it’s best if it's sooner rather than later.”

He’s already prepared himself for seeing Aaron as much as he can, it’s going to hurt but he’s ready as he’ll ever be and it’s best to do it straight away, like ripping off a plaster. If not he’s going to worry and end up panicking and then he’ll be a mess. He doesn’t let Adam stop him a second time, waves goodbye to his nieces and heads back out of the door.

He heads over to the pub as fast as he can, doesn’t want to get caught up with anyone else. He wants to see Vic and see how she’s doing before anything else. He can hear that the pub is busy, the hum of voices reaching him through the door. Bracing himself he pulls it open and steps inside. Instantly the place goes quiet and before he even has chance to look around a familiar voice rings out across the room.

“What the hell are you doing in here? Get out!”

“I’m here to see Vic, Chas.” Yet another thing that hasn’t changed, doubts she ever will. He can remember every word she shouted at him and he can still remember the slap. The funny thing is, he misses her, they’d got to a point where if not friends they could talk about things and he knew she would be there if he needed her and now there’s not a chance of that happening again.

“And of course you had to see her over here, couldn’t wait for her to go home. You’ve got a damn nerve!”

“Do you really think this is the right time? Would you just tell her I’m here or let me through.” He’d known it would be like this, why wouldn’t it be, but he thought Chas might just give him a break given the circumstances.

“You’re not going back there! I’ll get her.”

“Thank you. I’ll have an orange juice while I’m waiting.” He takes a seat at the bar while he waits, ignoring the stares. He should’ve known better, should have stayed at the house, but part of him needed to come back here, this place that holds so many memories, good and bad. The picture of his Dad catches his eye and he idly wonders what he’d make of the mess he’s made once again. He doubts he’d be surprised.

“Robert!” He barely has time to turn round before his arms are full of his sister and he holds on tight. She might be older now but she’s still his little sister and if he knows her like he thinks he does, she’s been taking everything on herself, and knowing everyone, they’ve been letting her.

“You alright?” She smiles up at him but the tears in her eyes give her away. “By the way, I’m pretty sure Lou thinks you're a lush. She was very scandalised when she told me where you were.”

“She's five years old!” She hits him on the arm, making him smile. “Come on, I told Bernice I'd call in.”

“When was the last time you sat down?” He asks eyeing the barely there bump as they head for the door. He can't see it but he can feel Chas’ glare following him.

“There's too much to do!”

"And it'll be there later.” He leads her home, will let Adam fuss over her, the sight making him smile before he’s once again surrounded by his nieces, clinging to his legs demanding he take them to the playground. Feigning disinterest he pretended to think for a few minutes before picking up three year old Abigail and taking Louise by the hand. “Come on then, show me the way.”

“Robert you don’t have to.” Robert just gives Adam a look. He refuses to stay cooped up in the cottage the whole time he’s here.

“Adam, like I said, Aaron and I are adults, I’m sure we can handle being in the same village for a few days. I doubt I’ll see him anyway, no doubt Chas has told him I’m back.” He’s pretty sure everyone knows by now that he’s here.

He listens to Abi’s chatter in his ear all the way to the playground, letting Louise wander slightly ahead. He’s thankful that he doesn’t meet anyone else along the way, the last thing he wants is to get caught up with any of the village gossips.

He lets the two girls run and play, sitting on the bench where he can keep an eye on them, pulling his jacket tighter around him against the cold. He always forgot how cold it could get in the village, even in summer. Now he was here he was regretting his decision, even though there was a good reason for being here it hurt, being back here where he’d managed to ruin his life once and for all.

“Uncle Robert! Come and push me!” He looked up, jolted out of his memory by Abigail’s shrill demanding voice and he laughs at her trying to get the swing to move back and forth by herself, legs swinging in mid air fruitlessly.

“Alright, alright.” He walks over to her, gaze half on her sister who’s attacking the climbing frame. “How high d’ya want to go?”

“To the top!”

“I think your Mum would hurt me if I did that.” He pushes her gently for a while, her squeals keeping the smile on his face as he tries to clear his mind of the memories of Aaron.

He’d left three months after Aaron ended it, and he’d like to say they’d been amicable about things once he’d left the pub, but he couldn’t. It had been horrendous, with Aaron completely ignoring him and the rest of the village firmly in his corner. He’d moved into the B&B because in the beginning Vic wouldn’t speak to him and Adam wouldn’t let him near their place and he honestly didn’t blame them. By the time he left she’d softened, not that she’d forgiven him but she wasn’t ignoring him. When he left he sold his share in Home James, gave his share of the scrapyard to Aaron and Adam, cut all ties with the village and lost himself in a mixture of self-loathing and alcohol. He stayed that way until Victoria descended on his doorstep one day after he sent Aaron a drunken, rambling, apologetic text and she told him in no uncertain terms that he had to move on, Aaron wasn’t going to take him back.

Even after that he’d still thought about coming back, seeing if Aaron had moved on, seeing if they could try again, but the little voice that sounded suspiciously like his sister would stop him. Even after all that time he still hadn't forgiven himself for not being what Aaron needed, never would. Aaron was the one person who had seen Robert for who he wanted to be. He used to say Aaron saw him for who he was but now he knew that he'd never actually become that person, not really.

“Rusty!” All of a sudden he sees Louise running across the playground heading for the road.

“Louise, get back here.” He’s moving towards her before he can think and by the time he reaches her, his niece has her hands buried in the fur of a large russet coloured dog. “Lou! You can’t run off like that.”

“Sorry.” She doesn’t sound it in the slightest and he does his best not to smile. Robert crouches beside her and strokes the dog, he can’t make out the breed but he’s obviously completely soft and used to the girls. Abigail comes up beside him and joins in the cuddles.

“Sorry he got away from...Robert?” He stands up and turns at the familiar voice behind him. Aaron. He hardly looks any different to when he left.

“Hi. Sorry they’ve kind of...” He lets the words trail off, doesn’t know what to say, wasn’t ready to see him again, not yet.

“Yeah, they seem to think he’s theirs.” Aaron shoves his hands in his pockets. “I'm…I'm sorry about Diane.”

“Thanks. So, Rusty?” He expected Aaron to blank him so he’s wrong footed and can think of nothing else to say. The few conversations they’d had after they broke up had been painful and full of anger.

“Yeah, Liv’s idea. I should...” Robert nods.

“How is she?” He has to know, he misses her, regrets hurting her almost as much as Aaron.

“Do you care?”

“Of course I do. Come on, Aaron you know how much I care about her.” Aaron shrugs and Robert remembers just how much that shrug irritated him. You never knew what Aaron was really thinking with that shrug. “None of this happened because I didn't care enough.”

“We both know why it happened, Robert!”

“And I've spent seven years hating myself for it.” He hissed back. “Come on girls, time to go.”

Reluctantly they leave the dog alone and take Robert’s hand. He doesn't look at Aaron, can't because he doesn't know what else to say. It's not like he expected it to be easy or that Aaron would be happy to see him but that doesn't take away the pain and regret that's hitting him all over again. As nears the cottage he sees Adam watching from the doorway and he whispers to his nieces who run towards their father. Without a word he changes direction and carries on walking, can’t face anyone at the moment.

“Robert, wait!” He stops, can never ignore his sister. “Where are you going?”

“To see Mum, probably the only place I can go without someone having a go at me. I should never have come back.”

“I need you here, I’m not having a go, am I?”

“That’s because you’re the nicest person in this village. You know, I’m not the only person who made a mistake. You tell me one person in this place who hasn’t fucked up somehow!”

“You’re the only one still punishing yourself for that, Robert. Everyone else has moved on, maybe you need to let yourself do that.”

“How can I...you know I was thinking maybe I’d come back, be near you again, the girls, but I see him once and I’m...you know what, never mind. I’ll be back later.” With that he stalks off, leaving her standing watching.

*********************

The next two days follow a pattern. He’s woken, early, by his nieces clambering all over him as he hears Adam clattering down the stairs on his way to the scrapyard, which is doing better than ever according to his sister. When he finally gets up he spends time helping Victoria with the arrangements for the funeral although he thinks he’s hindering more than helping but she lets him.

“Isn’t this meant to be Bernice’s job?” He asks as they sit sorting through a pile of paperwork, ready for Bernice to go through. He’s not seen his step-sister yet, hasn’t seen much of anyone thankfully.

“She’s...when I called round last night she was laying in a darkened room complete with eyemask. Nicola said she’d been there all day.”

“Right...you and I can only do so much, at some point she’s going to have to help.”

“Did you mean what you said about moving back?” She asked a few minutes later.

“Thought about it.” He’d done nothing but think about it for months.

“What’s stopping you?” She asks getting up to put a pile of papers back into the box file she’d brought from Diane’s cottage. Robert gives her an incredulous look in return. “Well obviously, but it’s been years, Rob. Like I said, everyone here has moved on.”

“Well Aaron didn’t exactly look pleased I was here when I saw him the other day.”

“That doesn’t mean he won’t get used to having you around.”

“Maybe I can’t be around him. Tea?” He gets up, wants to end the conversation because he knows her, she won’t stop.

“You still love him, don’t you?” He looks at her for a long moment before answering.

“I never stopped.”

*****************************

Robert lagged behind as people began to leave the cemetery, wanting to wait for Victoria. She was always much closer to Diane than him, not that he didn’t miss her, of course he did but they didn’t have the closeness that she had with his siblings. They’d never got whatever they’d had back after the last time he came back to the village.

“Vic, I’m going to give the pub a miss.” The thought of being in a room with all the village including the Dingle clan was too much.

“Rob, you can’t!” He bends to kiss her cheek and hugs her close.

“I can’t handle Chas’s death glares right now, not to mention anyone else. I’ll go for a walk or something, clear my head. I’ll be back later.”

He wanders aimlessly for a while, the village quiet, everyone else in the pub, before he sits on the bench outside the cafe. Pulling his tie loose he tilts his head up at the sky, the weather glorious for once.

“Thought you’d be in there.” He looks round to see Aaron standing over him, still in his black suit, looking as good as he ever did.

“Couldn’t face it. Don’t much fancy facing off with your family right now.”

“They won’t...not today.” Robert raises an eyebrow at him, “They won’t if I go in with you. Diane would want you there. I heard Mum had a go.” He shakes his head, so Aaron sits down beside him on the bench.

“Least I made it to the actual funeral this time huh?”

“Today isn’t about you, Robert, it’s about Diane.” Aaron gets to his feet and holds out a hand, smiling. God that smile. Robert stands up, shaking his head. “Come on.”

He follows Aaron to the pub and for a moment it feels like old times, that is until they get inside. Robert’s getting used to rooms going quiet when he walks in. Aaron walks right up to the bar and orders two beers ignoring the looks his mother is giving him.

“I’m glad you came, Rob.” He puts an arm around Vic as she comes to his side. He can hear Chas making the expected snide comments but he doesn’t make out Aaron’s reply and he takes the bottle gratefully as Aaron hands it to him.

“He just needed some persuading, that’s all.”

“You were always good at that.” He can’t stop the flirty tone, but the slight frown on Aaron’s face stops him from saying anything else. “I’m just going to sit over there, Vic.”

He spends the rest of the wake slumped in the corner, accepting the condolences of the scant few people who approach him but mostly everyone steers clear. He’s just contemplating going home when someone sits across from him. It takes him a moment to come to his senses and realise it’s Liv. She hasn’t changed that much really, just grown up, her hair now shoulder length. He looks across the bar, sees Aaron looking in his direction, can’t make out the look he’s giving them.

“Alright?”

“Not really. You? Oi!” He grabs his beer back from her.

“I’m old enough now.”

“In that case you can get your own!” She laughs and he realises just how much he’s missed her, no matter how much she irritated him when she first arrived.

“Poor student!” He looks up at her surprised. “That’s shocked ya, huh? Manchester.”

“Yeah? That’s great, Liv, really..” He looks at her and smiles. He can remember her back then, when she found out what he’d done, hitting his chest with her fists, him just letting her. Then as time moved on she’d started calling in to see him at the B&B, asking for help with her homework, or just generally loitering. He didn’t ask back then whether Aaron knew he just enjoyed having someone who didn’t hate him, or at least didn’t show it if she did.

“I’m proud of you, you know.” She doesn’t say anything but her smile grows just that bit bigger. This time when she takes hold of his beer bottle he lets her, and she just smirks at him.

He knows he’s meant to hear the comment from Chas, she doesn’t exactly keep her voice down and he can see that Liv hears it too and he sees when her hackles go up. He shakes his head, knows she’s going to defend him, because it’s Liv, but he can’t let her. He won’t be here in a few days, they can get back to normal. Vic’s right, everyone has moved on since he left and he’s still stuck, the same as he was then, hating himself, alone and feeling like a disappointment.

“If you’ve got something to say Chas, at least say it to my face.” Out of the corner of his eye he sees Vic start making her way to him before Adam stops her.

“I just wondered why you’re here. Not like you were bothered about Diane these last few years.” He just sits there, because he knows she’s right. He could have come back, Vic had asked him to often enough, so why hadn’t he?

“That’s not true.” It sounds feeble even to him.

“Oh no? I mean you sent flowers, but a fat lot of good they were. So why bother coming back now? Just clear off Robert, no one wants you here!”

“Mum, that’s enough!” It hurts so much to hear him come to his defence, it just intermingles with everything he said to him when the truth came out.

“Oh that’s just great, he’s got you defending him already. Just get out, Robert.”

He can feel tears burning his eyes but he can’t let himself break down here, not in front of all these people who hate him. He gets up, sees Liv move to do the same and he certainly won’t break down in front of her.

“It’s all right, Liv. I...I’ll see you before I leave, ok?”

He has to get out, can feel everyone staring, so he apologises to her and all but runs from the pub. He rounds the corner out of sight before sinking to the ground and putting his head in his hands. He doesn’t know how long he sits there before he hears footsteps.

“Go away, Vic.”

“Worrying that you can’t tell the difference between her footsteps and mine.” He looks up at Aaron, quickly wipes away the tears he can feel making their way down his cheeks.

“Vic’s the only one I figured would care enough to come after me.” He watches dumbfounded as Aaron sits on the ground beside him.

“Getting to be a habit this.”

“You don’t have to do this.” Robert doesn’t want this, not when he feels this vulnerable. He doesn’t know why Aaron is being so nice. He just wants to get the rest of today over and then he can leave. He knows Vic is hoping he’ll stay on for a while, but coming back just proved he was stupid to think he could move here again.

“Sorry, I tried to get her to lay off.” Robert shakes his head, it doesn’t matter, not really. He leans his head back against the wall.

“She’s right, I should have come back, should have been here for her, but I couldn’t face it. I let her down just like I do everyone else. She didn’t say anything I haven’t thought about myself.” 

“Doesn’t mean she has to behave like that.” Aaron goes quiet when Robert doesn’t answer, staring along the lane at the main road. “So, Vic says you might be moving back.”

“Vic’s got a bloody big mouth.”

“She cares about you, and me I guess. She wanted to know what I thought.” Robert looked at him, the question clear in his eyes. “That’s just it, I don’t know. Not my business anymore, is it?”

“I left because being here was hurting us both, I could see it was. I think it’s safe to bet I won’t move back if you’re not happy. I haven’t decided anything, although the reception in there may help make up my mind.”

“I can’t stop you moving back. I mean, yeah, if you did it’d be strange for a while, seeing you again, but we’re both adults, I’m sure we’d cope.”

“Maybe…” He hesitates, there’s something he’s wondered, dreaded really but he isn’t sure if he has the right to ask anymore. “Can I ask you something, something I probably have no business asking anymore.”

“You can ask.”

“After...what I did, with everything else...you didn’t…not because of me, please?” Robert couldn’t live with himself if he’d been the cause of Aaron hurting himself, he really couldn’t.

“No, I didn’t, I promise. I thought about it a few times but…I went back to my counsellor, not like I didn’t need to after prison.”

“Good. I mean...oh hell.”

Aaron laughs, “It’s ok, I know what you mean. Now are we staying here or…”

“Well I’m not going back in there. Probably go back to Vic’s…when you see Liv, tell her I’m sorry I ran out.”

“I will. You know Liv she'll be fine.” Aaron gets to his feet. “Come on, you can come home with me for a bit if you like.”

He wants to, God does he want to but most of all he wants to lick his wounds, feel sorry for himself a bit and Aaron has never let him do that. Not just that but they’ll end up talking and his head isn’t in the right place to do that.

“I...probably not the best idea.” He says as he stands. Aaron nods, face giving nothing away. “I’ll maybe see you before I go?”

“Yeah, sure.” Aaron turns, starts to walk back to the front of the pub. 

“Aaron...thanks.” He nods, a small smile on his face. Robert watches him walk away before he makes his own way back out onto the road heading for the spare room at Vic’s where he can hide away for a while.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments on the first chapter. I hope this one lives up to it (I'm still nervous about the whole story).
> 
> Enjoy!

Robert stands at the top of the driveway to The Mill. He doesn’t know how his sister does it, how she always knows that something has gone on. She despatched him with a casserole for Aaron and Liv, a big smile on her face as he glared at her. He hasn’t seen Aaron since the funeral and he’s spent the afternoon helping Bernice and Vic sort through Diane’s things. They’d found a lot of Jack’s belongings and mementoes that she’d kept and it had been an emotional afternoon with Vic sorting through them and Robert is glad to be out of the house and away from their happy memories, even if he’s not sure this is the best place for him to be.

“You gonna lurk there all day or what?” Aaron’s voice comes from the doorway. God he looks good, black jeans and jumper hugging his body perfectly. 

“Just admiring the place.” He wanders down the drive. “Vic sent me, apparently she thinks you and Liv are incapable of cooking.”

“I’d say she was wrong but our cooking skills haven’t improved much.” Aaron jerks his head towards the house. “Liv’s in Hotten so it’s just me. You want to come in for a minute?” He does, he’s fed up with sitting at Vic’s, the pub is a no go and he's still getting the cold shoulder from much of the village. At least Aaron is willing to talk to him.

Robert knows that this is not the best idea but he can't help but be curious about what Aaron has done to the home they were going to live in together and at least no one will think to look for him there. He’s not seen it since they broke up, when it was barely finished.

As it turns out Aaron hasn’t changed all that much, though the TV is bigger and some of the arty things Robert had chosen have gone, not that he’s surprised, they were always going to be more to his taste than Aaron’s.

“Looks good, lived in.” Absolutely nothing like his place. He’d chosen something completely different to this on purpose, the less reminders the better but it had never felt like his, and he’d done little to make it a home. “I wasn’t sure you’d still be here, considering...” He can’t help but flick his gaze to the stairs.

“Why wouldn’t I? The problem wasn’t that it happened here, Robert, it was that it happened at all.” Robert just stares at him. What can he say to that?

He wanders through to the kitchen, pulls out two mugs and starts making tea. Robert presumes that’s as much of an invitation as he’s going to get so he follows, leaning on the doorway. At Aaron’s look he takes a seat at the table and wraps his hands round the mug of tea. He feels a bit like Alice having fallen down the rabbit hole, sitting here calmly talking with Aaron over a cup of tea. It feels nice, too nice in fact.

“So how’s Liv doing at uni, she didn’t say much, too busy nicking my beer.”

“She’s pretty much finished and she’s still...Liv, so we still fight about everything, but she's enjoyed it I think. She’s definitely enjoying the freedom. You remember that she always liked art. She still drives me crazy.” Robert looks away, can’t bear to think of the two of them back then. “I’m not saying this to be cruel but I don’t think I’d have got through everything without her.”

“I’m…”

“Don’t say you’re sorry again, Robert, ok, I know. Let’s just leave it where it belongs, in the past.” Robert nods. “I told Mum she was out of order, she’s promised to pack it in.”

“You don’t have to. I deserve everything she says to me, probably more.”

“Maybe. Once anyway, but not now.” Robert doesn’t say anything, just ducks his gaze away.

“Why are you being so nice to me?” He wouldn’t be if the roles were reversed. Then again Aaron always was better than him. 

“It was a long time ago. Yes you hurt me, the one thing I was so afraid would happen but it’s over now,” He doesn’t look up from examining the grain of the tabletop but Aaron reaches out and touches his arm. “You need to get past it, if I can, you can.”

“And you have? Because the other day with the girls…” He looks back down at his hands, doesn’t know what else to say. They’ve talked about this so many times already. 

“I didn't know you were coming, I mean I guessed you might but it was a shock seeing you. Still like I say, it was a long time ago. We’ve both moved on...right?” Robert sits back, thinking of his empty flat waiting for him. Even after so much time it doesn't feel like his. He hasn’t moved on, sure he’s got a decent job and it isn’t like he’s been a monk or anything but none of his relationships have lasted. In some ways he thinks it's easier that way because none of them matched up to Aaron. He also knows he's back to being his uncaring self, never letting anyone get close. It's better that way, he can protect himself. No he hasn’t moved on, but he’s not telling Aaron that, wonders if he’d care or not.

“Right.”

“What I’m getting at is I don’t hate you, I did for a while or thought I did. I don’t want things to be awkward while you’re here or if you move back.”

Robert has no answer to that so he drains his tea, puts the mug down and nods slightly. “I should let you get on. Vic said the scrap yard is doing well?” He gets up, knows he’s outstaying his welcome, and starts for the door.

“Yeah, really good. Hired a couple of people to help out so Adam gets more time with the kids.”

“I’ve heard that Uncle Aaron spends a lot of time with them too.” In fact the girls had hardly shut up about him, telling Robert all about the dog and how Aaron was the best at all their games. “Something about Disney videos?” 

The look on Aaron’s face is worth it and now he really has to leave before he does something really stupid. Before he has chance, Aaron has grabbed his jacket and pulls him close and the next thing he knows he's kissing him and backing him up against the wall.

**************************

“Fuck.” Robert lies back on the bed, breathing hard. He should have known they’d end up here, was probably inevitable.

“Quite. We always were good at that.” Aaron laughs beside him. 

“Not really what I expected when I came round.”

“You complaining?”

“Nope, no, not in the slightest.” He turns onto his side, props his head up on his hand. “I’m probably going to regret asking this but, why?”

“Why not?”

“Aaron!” He growls. Despite how good that was, how bloody good it feels to be next to Aaron in bed again he’s in no mood to be messed about.

“You’re not...I mean, you’re not with anyone are you?” Aaron pulls himself up against the headboard, his words soft.

“What? No. I wouldn't...” He hears the unspoken words as clearly as if Aaron had said them because they both know better. “I should go.” He gets up, starts picking up his clothes from where they’d landed on the floor, pulling them on as he goes.

“Robert, I didn’t mean anything…” He finishes pulling on his shirt, grabs his jacket and makes for the door. “Robert!”

“I have to go.”

He slams the door behind him, breathing hard. He shouldn't be surprised that Aaron asked given everything but it still hurt to hear it.

***************************

“You going to sit there moping all day or what?” Vic kicks his leg gently as she passes him to sit on the sofa. She’s trying to convince him to stay another week, mainly by using his nieces against him. He’s not seen Aaron since the day at the Mill, has avoided the cafe and the pub, not wanting to run into him.

“Leave me alone, Vic. I said I’d think about staying like you wanted.”

“Don’t know why I do if you’re going to be like this. Did something happen? Did you and Aaron argue?” He scoffs, he probably would have preferred that. “Well, what? I’m your sister, you can tell me.”

“So you can tell Adam? No thanks, Vic.”

“You know I wouldn't. Who else can you talk to?”

“Way to boost my confidence!”

“Robert, you’re my brother, I love you but you can be an idiot at times. What happened with Aaron?” He doesn’t answer just looks sideways at her. “Oh, Rob, what did you do that for?”

“He was the one who pushed me against the wall and kissed me!”

“And you couldn’t stop him?”

“Because I’ve always been so good at resisting him, haven’t I? You know I feel about him.”

“Then you need to talk to him.”

“No what I should do is leave and never look back, like before.” He can’t talk to Aaron, because even if it’s the truth he doesn’t think he can bear to hear him say that it had been a mistake.

“Oh and that worked out well for you did it? That’s why you’ve pushed everyone away, none of your relationships have lasted more than a few months.” She was right, of course she was right but he just wanted her to stop talking. “You should go and talk to him.

“No.”

“Why not?” He opened his mouth to answer but stopped himself. 

“Shouldn’t you be, I don’t know, nesting or something rather than bothering me?”

“Don’t change the subject!”

“Vic just leave it, I’ll be gone soon.” He looked over at her. “And no more of your interfering, I know you too well.”

*************************

It was with a certain level of trepidation that Robert walked into the pub the next evening. Victoria had insisted on a family dinner before he left. Robert wasn't entirely sure why it had to be in the pub when it was just the five of them but as always his sister wouldn't take no for an answer.

He sees Chas’ glare as he takes a seat at the bar to wait for his family. He'd left when Louise had thrown a tantrum about her shoes and Abigail had started crying for no apparent reason. He waits for the comments to start from the other side of the bar but she says nothing.

“Pint please, Chas.”

“You staying long?” She asks, placing his drink in front of him. He knows it's a bad idea, could quite possibly earn him another slap but he feels like having a bit of fun.

“Who knows. Had thought about maybe moving back.”

“You think you'd be welcome? After everything?” Strangely she doesn't seem angry any more and he wonders whether that's to do with whatever Aaron said.

“I told Aaron I wouldn't if he had a problem with it. We've all made mistakes, Chas.”

“You have no idea what he was like once you'd gone, Robert.” He swears his heart skips a beat. He'd asked Aaron, and he was pretty sure he hadn't been lying, but maybe he could no longer tell if Aaron wasn't telling the truth.

“You think I should stay away.” He’s already coming to that conclusion on his own.

“I don't want my son’s heart broken again.” She looks over his shoulder and he hears his nieces, apparently much happier than they had been at the house. He nods at Chas and joins his family at the table at the back opposite the bar. He ends up with Abi on his lap while they wait for their food.

“You made your mind up yet about staying?” Vic asks him and he catches Adam’s surprised look.

“No, not yet,” His tone telling her to leave it. Just as he was about to tell her the same he saw Aaron walk in and head toward them. Gritting his teeth he turned to his sister. “What did you do?” He waits until Adam has diverted Aaron towards the bar sensing Robert’s annoyance. The girls followed their Dad, quickly commandeering Aaron’s attention.

“The girls wanted to see Aaron.”

“No. Don’t you dare, Vic, don’t use your kids against me. Did he know I’d be here?” Why had he not just packed up and left the minute he left Aaron’s bed? That would have been the sensible thing to do.

“No.” She at least looks a little guilty.

“Vic!” He watches as Aaron lifts Abi up so she’s sat on the bar in front of him as she shows him the cut on her knee that she’d got running round the garden after her sister. 

“The two of you need your heads banging together. You still love him, he obviously feels something so maybe if you talked…” He doesn’t want to listen because he’ll begin to hope she’s right and he’s not sure he can have his hopes dashed again.

“It’s not your business!” He hisses. “I'm getting another drink.”

“Here.” As he starts to get up Adam plonks a pint in front of him. He looks up at Aaron and shrugs slightly. Vic starts chatting immediately trying to fill the awkward silence around the table. 

“Well...this isn’t at all awkward.” Adam muttered under his breath. “Hey girls come with me and see Uncle Pete a minute.”

“Actually, Vic, I think it's about time I thought about going home.” He doesn't know what makes him say it because while it’s true this probably isn't the best time. It bothers him that he hasn't seen Aaron since he left his bed, that he doesn't know what it meant to Aaron. He refuses to ask so the only answer is to run.

“You said you'd stay.”

“I said I'd think about it.” He's watching Aaron's face, there's not a flicker of anything, no hurt, no disappointment, not even any happiness. Robert can't tell what he's thinking. “I have things to get back to.”

“Like what? An empty flat?” He just glares at her. Over the years he's told her things, how lonely he is, how he hates going back to an empty flat night after night, and now she's spilling it all in front of everyone, in front of Aaron.

“At least there's no one interfering in my life there! What did you think would happen tonight, Vic? You'd invite Aaron and I here without telling us and we'd do what exactly? I told you I didn't want this!” He knows he's shouting and he can see she's getting upset but he can't stop.

“Robert.” Aaron's voice is soft and quiet but it does the trick it calms him down.

“Sorry.” He looks at his sister, eyes wide, close to tears and he hates himself for making her cry. “I'm sorry, Vic, but I said to you yesterday not to interfere.”

“I love you, want you to be happy, both of yous.” He moves over so he can hug her, can’t stand to see her upset for long no matter how he’s feeling.

“I know you do. We can be in the same room and talk to each other so that's something, huh? I still have to go home, I still have a life there, good or bad.”

“Come on, Vic, we’re both ok and if Robert does come back we still will be. Let's just leave it there, huh?” She nods. “Good, I'm gonna go. You have your family dinner.”

“You don't have to.” Robert tells him.

“It's fine. I'll see you.” Robert watches him go before he feels Victoria hit his arm.

“You idiot!”

“What the hell have I done now?”

“It obvious he still wants you and you tell him you've got a life elsewhere, which I know is a lie.” She's right but he's not going to seem desperate even if it is cutting his nose off to spite his face.

“He hasn't been near me since we slept together until your little plan tonight, I'd say that tells me all I need to know. I'm not hanging round here like some lovesick puppy waiting for something that might never happen.”

“You're still an idiot.” 

“You've made that perfectly clear. Now, can we please order our food.”

********************

“You don’t have to go.” Vic said from the front porch, the girls running round the garden chasing each other. Adam was somewhere, Robert wasn’t sure where but he’d said a cursory goodbye before he’d left at breakfast. “I know what you said, but you don't.”

“Yes, I do. This place...it’s no good for me, Vic.” He walked over and wrapped his arms around her, “I’m only a few hours away and I’ve proved to myself that I can come back if I want, but I can’t stay.”

“You’ll be back when this one is born though?” He hangs his head, she’s persistent. 

“I’ll try. Right, where are my girls?” They run over to him and he kisses them, “You two be good for your Mum and I’ll see you soon, ok?”

He’s just putting the last bags into the car when he sees him, turns to see Vic grinning and shepherding the girls into the house. He shakes his head and waits knowing from her look that Aaron is heading to him.

“Vic call you?”

“You didn’t really think she’d lay off did you? You off then?”

“Yeah. Probably pushing my luck hanging around so…” Aaron scuffed his foot against the road, pushing his hands into his pockets.

“About the other day. I didn’t mean…”

“It’s alright, can’t blame you for asking really can I? Maybe we should just leave it for what it is.” It hurts to even say it but he got there first, just saying what he assumed Aaron is feeling. They stand in silence for what seems like an eternity, “Look, about Vic...”

“Robert, I know what she's like...you think Liv isn't as bad?”

“Where is she? I said I'd see her before I left.”

“Back in Manchester, some party or other. I was told in no uncertain terms not to ask.” Robert laughed.

“Same old Liv then?”

“Yeah…” Aaron huffed a laugh as Robert shut the boot of the car. “You know I don’t even know where you’re going to.”

“Cardiff. Met an old mate once I got my head together and he owns a company down there so...as good a place as any.” He shrugged. “Will you tell Liv I’m sorry I didn't see her.”

“Yeah, course. You comin’ back?”

“Maybe, when the baby’s born, Vic insisted.” He still hasn’t decided. Obviously he’ll want to see the baby but he doesn’t know if he can come back so soon after this visit or at all if he’s being completely honest. Being so close to Aaron again has brought back too many memories.

“And you still can’t say no to her.”

“Pretty much. Anyway...it was...good to see you.” He can’t say anymore, gets in the car and pulls away. 

It might be his imagination but he’s sure Aaron watches him all the way to the top of the village.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BTW Cardiff wasn't picked for any reason other than I have a soft spot for the city (and I'm a huge fan of Torchwood).
> 
> Happy ending is still on track, I promise. Next chapter might take a while as I'm away next week but it is underway :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! I got it done before I go away. Next chapter might take a little longer.
> 
> They're getting there, slowly, they're just taking their time!
> 
> Enjoy!

Three Months Later

Robert wakes to a loud banging that’s accompanied by the pounding in his head. He hadn’t slept well, hadn’t really since he came back from Emmerdale. Checking his phone he sees that it’s only just gone ten in the morning. Normally he’s up and about by now enjoying coffee in one of the many coffee shops along the bay, but it was an office birthday the night before and he’d been dragged out to sample Cardiff’s nightlife and now he was suffering.

As the banging on his front door started up again he dragged himself out of bed, grabbing a hoodie to pull on over his t-shirt and padded out to the door. The last person he expected to turn up on his doorstep was Liv and yet there she was right in front of him.

“You gonna let me in then or what?” With that she pushed passed him and into the living room.

“What are you doing here? How did you even know where I lived?”

“From Vic, obviously. Thanks so much for the welcome. Hi Liv, how are you Liv…”

“Right, I’m hungover and you’ve invaded my home at ten in the morning...what the hell time did you leave to get here?”

“Early. Figured if I wanted to see you I’d have to come to you seeing as how you left without seeing me…”

“I’m sorry about that, I am, but I had to leave. You want some coffee or something? God knows I do.” He watches as she immediately slumps down onto one of his sofas and switches on the television. “Make yourself at home why don’t you.”

“Ta. So, this is swanky.” He glances round the place, its white walls and limited furniture are probably fashionable but to him it feels empty and cold. The only feature he really likes are the floor to ceiling windows overlooking the bay and the balcony. It doesn’t feel like a home and he hasn’t ever bothered to try and make it one.

“It’s alright, I guess.” He places her mug down on the table, before sitting on the other sofa clutching his mug in his hands. “So...you came all this way just to see me?”

“Had a row with Aaron.” He should have guessed, although that doesn’t explain why she’s come to him. Once upon a time maybe but not now.

“What about?”

“I want to go travelling now I’ve finished uni and he hit the roof.”

“He worries about you, you know that.” He sips at his coffee, hoping he can say the right thing, feels hopelessly out of practice. He wonders if Liv still goes up like a bottle of pop if you say the wrong thing.

“I’m an adult! I’ve managed to live in Manchester for three years.”

“Yeah and you’re still his little sister. And living in a city in the same country while at uni is slightly different to going halfway round the world.” He sighs, his head is still pounding. “Does he know you’re here?”

“No.”

“I’m going to shower and get dressed in an effort to feel vaguely human. Call him, tell him you’re safe.”

With that he downs the rest of his coffee, gets up and heads to his bedroom, has the quickest shower he can before pulling on jeans and a shirt. When he goes back into the living room feeling relieved he’s not heard raised voices, Liv holds the phone out to him.

“He wants to talk to you.” He takes the phone and watches her stomp out onto the balcony.

“Hi.”

“Thanks for getting her to call me. Sorry she bothered you.” Robert runs a hand through his damp hair, his hangover still lingering, and perches on one of the stools at the counter in his kitchen.

“She’s not bothering me. Bit of a shock, granted...she told me what happened.”

“I might have overreacted,” Robert tries not to laugh, “Yeah, ok I did overreact but she just sprung it on me when she got home last night.”

“She’ll calm down. You want me to send her back?”

“Like she ever listened to you!” They both chuckle and it feels like old times. Aaron sighs. “This is...I know it’s not your problem anymore but...would it be a problem if I came and talked to her there? Things are a bit tense here.”

“You want to come all the way to Cardiff to talk to your sister? If you think it’ll help then yeah.” There’s something that Aaron’s not saying, he still knows him well enough to know that. He says nothing, just gives him his address. “See you in a few hours then, I guess.”

“He’s coming here?”

“Yeah. You fancy going out and getting some breakfast? Then you can explain to me what’s going on and why he’s coming here rather than waiting for you to get home.”

*************************

“So...Aaron said things were tense.” Robert took a bite of toast. They’d come to one of his favourite cafes for when he had a hangover. It looked out onto the bay and as the sun was shining he was taking full advantage of it although his sunglasses were perched firmly over his eyes, he might like the sun, his hangover didn’t.

“Did you move here just so you could geek out about Torchwood and Doctor Who?” He laughed, not convinced by her diversion tactics one bit but remembering the time he introduced her to Torchwood when Aaron first went to prison and the two of them huddled together on the sofa in the pub and watched the whole lot in about four days.

“No but now you mention it, Ianto’s shrine is still there. Wanna go? And don’t think I don’t know you’re trying to put me off asking stuff.”

“Chas has been on at him about you.” Robert closes his eyes. He should have known she wouldn’t leave it, he should never have wound her up.

“What about me?”

“That you’ll never change, that he should forget about you, the usual. He hasn’t said anything, stays out of the pub most days but I’ve heard her.” Robert doesn’t understand, Aaron’s heard it all before, he doesn’t get why it would be bothering him now. “She knows you slept together.”

“I’m not discussing that with you.”

“I’m just sayin’, she’s on at him all the time. He still loves you, you know.”

“Don’t, Liv. Besides, the problem was never that we didn’t love each other. Chas will calm down when she sees I’m not going back.” He still wants to but his visit just proved that it would be too hard, being that close to Aaron again.

“You’re not coming back?” She looks so disappointed that he reaches out and takes her hand.

“It was only ever an idea. Anyway enough about me and Aaron, I want to hear about these travels. Where are you thinking of goin’?”

“Australia, maybe Japan, haven't decided yet. Won't matter if Aaron gets his way.”

“Liv you're an adult now, you don't need his permission.” He knows he's treading a fine line but he's right and deep down he hopes he still knows Aaron well enough to know that he won't stop her in the end.

“I'm not going to just run off and leave him unhappy.” Ah, there's the Liv he remembers.

“Like I did?”

“Truth hurts?”

“You think Aaron wanted to see me around the village everyday? It killed me every time I saw him. I did what I thought was best, for all of us. I hoped my not being there might help him move on.” He wants to ask, wants to know whether Aaron had moved on, had he been happy the past seven years or had he felt like Robert had, as if he was in a weird kind of holding pattern never going anywhere.

“He didn't, move on I mean. You should talk to him it's not my place to tell you.” She picked the last piece of bacon from her plate and ate it. “Come on then, we goin’ to this shrine or what?”

***********************

A few hours later and they’re sprawled in front of the TV, good naturedly bickering while finishing off the snacks they’d bought on the way back to the flat. They’d spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon exploring the bay before returning home to wait for Aaron.

“If you want me to make myself scarce later I can.”

“You think I’m letting you roam a strange city on a Saturday night? Aaron would kill me.”

“I’m twenty two! I can look after myself.” As he goes to answer the buzzer sounds, “Saved by the bell. Well let him in then!” She orders when Robert sits frozen at the thought of seeing Aaron again. He pulls himself together and gets up to let him in, running his hands through his hair as he waits. He knows Liv is grinning behind his back at his nerves but he can’t help it.

“Hi.” He tries to smile as he opens the door to Aaron. He hasn’t felt this nervous in years, not even when he and Aaron were first kissing in laybys. He feels ridiculous and he can only imagine the faces Liv is pulling behind his back.

“Hi. Thanks for this.” He gives him a quick smile before turning to his sister. “Liv you can’t just take off and turn up on people’s doorsteps like that.”

“Robert doesn’t mind.”

“Robert didn’t have a choice.” He mutters. “It’s fine, Aaron, honestly. I...er...there’s nothing in my fridge so I’m gonna go to the shop, leave you two to sort this out and then, maybe I can cook before you have to head back?” He tries not to sound too eager or hopeful as he picks up his keys and his wallet. “Won’t be long.”

He closes the door behind him and heads for the lift, glad to be on his own for a bit while he tries to figure out what to say to Aaron, if he wants to say anything at all. As he’s walking the short distance to the supermarket, enjoying the sunshine, he calls Victoria.

“I’m honoured, a phone call from my brother without prompting.”

“Yeah alright, don’t start. You ok?”

“Fine. A little birdy told me you had a visitor this morning.” Of course she knew, not even distance left secrets unknown in Emmerdale.

“Yeah, they’re probably fighting right now in my flat.”

“ _They_?” He can hear the surprise in her voice and is amazed that she didn’t know Aaron was here too.

“Mmm, Aaron came down to talk to Liv. Vic, what’s going on, he said things were tense.”

“I’ve hardly seen him since you left. I promise I haven’t been interfering but he used to pop in and see the girls most days but lately he hasn’t. He and Adam had a row too and neither of them will tell me what it was about, and I know he and Chas are hardly speaking.” Everything sounded like classic Aaron, shutting himself off and pushing people away however he could, but Robert couldn’t work out why.

“Liv told me that. She’s on at him about me. This is why I shouldn’t have gone back.”

“Don’t start that again. Talk to him...properly this time.”

“That’s your answer for everything, isn’t it?” He sighed, “Alright, I’ll try, is that good enough for you?”

“It’ll have to do.” He can almost hear her pout and he wants to laugh.

“I’m almost at the shop, how are my girls?” He stops at the entrance to the supermarket, dreading having to battle the weekend shoppers, and listens as his sister tells him about his nieces latest escapades.

**************************

It’s an hour later when he gets back to the flat, his teeth on edge, having dodged more than enough children and trolleys in the supermarket and had to battle more than one pensioner to get near the bread as they tested each and every loaf for something that only they knew. He can’t hear raised voices as he opens the door and he’s not sure if that’s a good sign or bad.

“Hello?” He puts the bags on the kitchen island along with his keys and moved further into the flat. The TV was on, pumping out some music that he didn’t know but seemed like it might be to Liv’s taste but they were nowhere to be seen. He poked his head out onto the balcony to find them at the table, feet up on the spare chairs laughing and joking. “Making yourselves at home then?”

“You were ages.” Aaron comments, sitting up straight.

“There’s a reason I usually have my shopping delivered.” He nudges Liv’s feet off a chair so he can collapse into it, next to Aaron. “You two sorted now?”

“Well _we_ are.” She gives him a pointed look. “I’m going inside, would the two of you please talk or something or I’ll just have to bang your heads together.”

She disappeared inside and closed the balcony door. Neither of them said anything staring out across the water. It’s a hell of a view, Robert will acknowledge that, but it’s nothing compared to the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales.

“So...you and Liv are sorted?”

“Yeah. Guess I have to let her go sometime.” Robert notices his hands are tucked back into his jumper, and he’s tense.

“She’ll be alright, you know.” Aaron gives a little nod. “She’s not going away forever, she’s not leavin’ you.” That was it really wasn’t it, Aaron was always waiting for the next person to walk out the door. “She, er, she said your Mum’s been giving you a hard time.”

“Been telling tales?” Robert shook his head, this was more like the Aaron of old, not the happier version he’d thought he’d seen when he went back to the village.

“She’s worried about you. So am I. I probably don’t have a right to anymore but…”

“You being back...I thought I could handle it. I mean it’s been seven years and I was fine, I was, then you swan back in without a care in the world.” Robert lets out a laugh, that was nowhere near the truth.

“You really think that? You think it was easy, going back? You saw me, you really thought I was ok? Why do you think I didn’t go back earlier, when Diane needed me, when the girls were born? Did you think I was just being difficult, or I didn’t care?”

“I don’t…sorry.”

“Aaron, leaving the village was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It hurt way more than when Dad sent me away and you know why? Because I couldn’t blame anybody but myself.” When his Dad sent him off in the car he could put all the blame on him, tell himself it’s because he didn’t care, wasn’t bothered about Robert, but this time as he drove away it was all on him, nobody else.

“You’re doing alright now. I mean look at this.” He waves his arm around. Robert sighs.

“Yeah it’s nice enough. It’s a place to sleep and sit on my own night after night. I’m not alright, Aaron, not by a long shot.” He hated admitting it, telling Aaron just how empty his life was, that he craved the life they could have had, should have had. “You want a drink?”

He gets up, goes inside, ignores Liv who’s pretending to watch TV and no doubt keeping an eye on the two of them. He needs a drink if he’s going to ask the question that’s been on the tip of his tongue since Aaron arrived.

“Here,” He hands Aaron the bottle of lager, taking a large gulp of his own. “If it was so difficult seeing me again, why’d you help me out at the pub, invite me into the flat? Why did you sleep with me? I would have kept out of your way but…”

“I…” He shakes his head and shrugs.

“I told you I wouldn't come back, if you didn't want me to, if it would be too hard.”

“No I...I missed you. Everything is so messed up. I wanted to hate you, back then, but like I said I can't. Mum keeps telling me I'm better off, that I should be glad you've gone again, it's doing my head in. It feels like everyone's got an opinion, they're all waiting for me to do something since you came back, fall apart, punch someone, I don't know.” He hunches over, head in his hands. Robert hesitantly reaches out and puts his hand on his shoulder, happy when it's not shrugged off.

“Who cares what your Mum thinks, what any of them think? Just because they love you doesn't mean they know what's best for you. What do you want?” He can't help the hope that bubbles in his chest that just maybe Aaron might want him, however unlikely that might be.

“I don't know. If I did things would be much easier.” Robert has no idea what to say to that. They sit in silence for a while, eventually Aaron shifts in his chair, leaning against Robert, Robert’s arm still around him.

“I told you once that you deserve to be really happy and I meant it. You have to do what's best for you, nobody else, not me, not Liv, no one.”

“I know you're right, it's just hard stuck in the village.”

“Trust me I remember.” He takes a deep breath, his next suggestion could go down like a lead balloon. “You're welcome to stay here tonight, longer if you want. Give you a bit of breathing space.”

“Er…”

“There's two bedrooms and the sofa folds out. I wasn't trying it on.”

“Thanks. And by the way it's not been so long that I can't tell whether you're trying it on or not. You don't have to help me anymore.”

“Yes I do. Whether we're together or not, I still...never mind.” Now wasn’t a time for declarations of any sort. He squeezed Aaron's shoulder and got to his feet. “You hungry?”

“Yeah.” Aaron smiled up at him, looking a little happier, making Robert relax a little.

“Come on, or Liv will have eaten me out of house and home. We can talk more later if you want.” They haven't really scratched the surface yet, more covered the same old ground, and maybe nothing will come of it but it's a start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Those pesky Torchwood references just can't help themselves!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was going to be the last part, but there'll be an epilogue of sorts (little snapshots as they go through the next few months or so).
> 
> I wrote most of this on my phone and I've checked it but please forgive any mistakes.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it.

Robert isn’t sure what wakes him at first, then he hears the shouts from his bedroom. He quickly gets up from the sofabed having given up his bed for Aaron and went into the other room, to see Aaron thrashing about on the bed. 

“Aaron.” He crouched by the bed, not touching, he knew better. “Aaron it’s me, you’re safe now.” Slowly he stopped twisting about, breathing harsh and fast. Robert just waited, experience telling him Aaron would open his eyes when he was ready and not before. When he did he looked around, forgetting where he was. “Hey, it’s ok, you’re in my flat, remember?”

“Yeah,” Aaron swallowed hard and sat up against the pillows. “Did I wake you? Sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Robert moves to sit on the floor beside the bed, hugging his knees. “You still get them?”

“Not that often anymore. Strange bed I guess. I'm fine now if you wanna go back to bed.” Robert shook his head, it was already bright outside, he wouldn't sleep now. “You wanna talk?”

“You sure?” Aaron nodded, scrubbing his hands over his eyes. “I'll put the kettle, and some clothes on.” He said, conscious he was only wearing his boxers such was his haste to stop Aaron's nightmare.

Ten minutes later they were sitting at opposite ends of the bed, having decided they wouldn’t be interrupted by Liv if they stayed in the bedroom, both clutching mugs of tea.

“I meant what I said last night, you have to do what you want, what's best for you. But I want you to know I...I still…”

“Don't.” Robert got up to move away, but Aaron caught his arm. “Robert wait. I don't want us to say that and everything is fine. That was what we did before, we never talked about things properly. It can't work like that this time. If we do this we have to get it right, I can't go through that again.”

“You think I can? I just want to know we could have a chance. We can take as long as we want to get there, I just need to know.”

“Have you...there's no one else?” Aaron asks, voice nervous and he's chewing on his thumbnail. Robert takes his hand, pulls his thumb away from his mouth.

“I promise, there's no one. I'm not saying there hasn't been, but no one serious.” He should ask, wants to know but then he realises he's being stupid because Aaron wouldn't be here, wouldn't suggest they try again if there was someone in his life. What Liv said about needing to ask Aaron about whether he'd moved on niggled at him but now wasn't the time.

“The answer’s no, if you were wondering.”

“So, nothing to stop us then?” He feels that thrill of nerves that he often felt when he was with Aaron, almost like he can't quite believe he can be this lucky.

“I guess not.”

“You're sure?” He has to be because Robert knows he can't take it if things fall apart again, it took too much out of him this time, took a long time to feel human again.

“I'm sure.” Aaron assured him, leaning in to kiss him.

********************

“Well that isn’t taking it slow.” Robert joked laying next to Aaron. 

“No it’s not. I don’t care though, do you?” Aaron turned to face him, propping his head up on his hand. “That wasn’t what I meant. We still have a lot to talk about, we just don’t need do it all in one day.”

“Mmm, so what happens now?”

“Well I was thinking of sleepin’, don’t know about you.” Aaron snuggled further under the duvet, closer to Robert.

“Want me to go?” 

“Don’t you dare.”

They did sleep, slept soundly for a couple of hours until their phones rang at the same time, albeit Robert’s out in the living room, blaring out into the quiet. Aaron jerked awake, grabbed his phone as Robert stumbled out of the room to do the same.

“Robert?” He was instantly wide awake, his sister sounding like she was close to tears. “I need you.”

“What’s wrong? Vic, what is it?” He looked up to see Aaron in the doorway a look of panic on his face. “Vic!” He shouted as the call cut out.

“It’s the baby, she’s in labour.” Aaron was already moving to the other bedroom door.

“It’s too early!”

“I know. We need to get there. Liv!” He hammers on the door. Robert didn’t wait he just hurried to the bedroom, used the bathroom and pulled on his clothes, threw some into a bag guessing he’d be staying at least a few days before going back out into the kitchen.

“You ready?”

“Robert, calm down a sec. Liv’s getting dressed. She’s going to drive her car back. You’re in no fit state so I’ll drive you alright? Here drink this.” Robert took the mug, too keyed up to really taste the coffee but he drank it while they waited for Liv. “Vic will be fine, they’re on their way to the hospital.”

Robert nodded, moving towards Aaron, needing to touch him, needing him to calm him down. Aaron knew, always had, and he took the mug away before wrapping his arms around Robert, hand rubbing his back, keeping him grounded.

“Ok?” Robert nodded, he was as alright as he was going to be until he saw his sister and knew she was going to be ok. “Good. Come on Liv!”

It wasn’t long before they were all on their way, Aaron speeding out of the private car park. Robert says little on the journey, stares out of the window, Aaron letting him be, reaching over every so often to put his hand on Robert’s knee, trying to comfort him.

“Did Adam say who has the girls?” Robert suddenly asks when they’re about an hour out from Leeds.

“They left them with Mum, Moira’s away at Hannah’s, they’re fine. We can get them later if you want, once we know how Vic is.”

“Yeah.” He sighed, “Chas is gonna love us rocking up together isn’t she?”

“I’ll deal with her. Robert this isn’t the time and we’re not sorted, not by a long way, but I want this, I want to try and nobody is going to stop me except you.” Despite his mood, despite his worry about his sister, Robert can’t help but smile at the confidence in Aaron’s voice. “Let’s get Vic sorted first, eh?”

“Yeah.” His voice is hoarse and his eyes are burning. He never thought he’d get here, never thought he might get another chance with Aaron, however much he wished for it.

By the time they arrive at the hospital his nerves are shot to pieces and Aaron hasn't even parked the car before Robert is opening the door.

“Robert, wait!” Aaron hurriedly locked the car and ran after him, trying to text Liv, who had gone straight back to Emmerdale. When he reached his side he could see just how frantic he was. “She'll be alright.”

Five minutes later they're in a waiting room, waiting expectantly for someone to tell them what's going on. Aaron has Robert's hand clasped in his, mainly to stop him launching out of his seat and pacing, and also because it feels good after so much time to be able to.

It felt like hours, but when Aaron checked his watch it had only been thirty minutes, when the door burst open and Adam stood there with a huge smile on his face. Robert shot out of his chair closely followed by Aaron, their hands still locked together.

“It's a boy! I've got a son!” Aaron reached him first, hugging his friend.

“How's Vic?” Robert asked, causing Aaron to smirk.

“You're supposed to say congratulations.”

“I know! Congratulations, Adam, really.” He shook his brother in law’s hand, “How's Vic?”

“She's great, mate. You can come in if you like.”

Victoria is sitting up in bed drinking tea when they get to her room. Robert hugs her tight, while Adam proudly handed his son to Aaron as Robert was still holding on to Vic.

“Rob? You alright?” She asked him, concerned. He knew he wasn't acting like his usual self but he couldn't shake off the feeling that everything was going to fall apart. He should be happy, he and Aaron were better, and he was an uncle again, so why did he feel this way. He looked up, saw that Aaron and Adam were on the other side of the room. “Robert?”

“Can't keep anything from you, can I? You don't need to worry about me.”

“But I do. You and Aaron…?”

He looked over at the man in question cooing at the baby and smiles, “We’re going to try, that was as far as we got before someone went into labour!” She grabbed him and pulled him into another hug. “Ow, Vic!”

“I knew you two just needed to talk!”

“Oi, don't start. Nothing's decided yet.” He gets up and turns to Aaron. “Any chance I can hold my nephew before he starts school?”

Aaron smiles up at him as he carefully transfers the baby to him. This is new to him. His nieces had been a few months old by the time he'd met them for the first time so this was a novelty. 

“So, he got a name yet?” Aaron asks having hugged Victoria.

“Caleb, Cal for short.”

“Caleb. That's a good name,” Robert says smiling down at the baby. “I mean not as good as Robert…” He smirks at the three of them.

“That ego never changes does it.” Aaron jokes. “We should let you get some sleep. We’ll pick the girls up from Mum.” Robert just stares at him. It sounds like Aaron wants him to stay. He wants to ask, but not here.

They say their goodbyes and Robert hands his nephew to his sister, hearing her whispered good luck, before he follows Aaron out of the room. They don't speak until they're at the car on the way back to Emmerdale.

“Told you she'd be alright.”

“Yeah, you did. So,” he takes a deep breath. “We're getting the girls from your Mum?”

“Yeah, I've text her. You're gonna stay, til Vic comes home?”

“If you want me to...we kind of got a bit sidetracked. I...can stay at the B&B.” He doesn't want to, wants to be with Aaron but he won't rush, this is too important.

“You don't have to, you can stay at mine...if you want. The girls will be staying, spend some time with them.”

“Depends,” Aaron looks at him, confused. “Do I get to hear your rendition of ‘under the sea’? Louise tells me you make a very good Sebastian. Ow, fuck’s sake, Aaron!” He cries rubbing his arm where Aaron smacked him.

“Hmph, and I suppose Uncle Robert is too good for singing along to Disney is he?”

“Certainly not. My Lumiere needs some work, granted, but bring it on Dingle.” They laugh all the tension and worry gone. Robert can't help but think just how right this all feels.

It's late afternoon as they pull into the village. They haven't talked anymore about what's next, as if by mutual agreement. Aaron pulls to a stop outside the pub.

“You want me to go? You can go straight to the flat?” He'd like nothing more than to avoid Chas but after what he knows he's not leaving Aaron to face her alone. He shakes his head and unclips his seatbelt.

“She has to know sometime, might as well be now.” He doesn't sound any more confident than he feels.

“Hey. Whatever she says, I want this.” Aaron reaches up to kiss him. “Whatever happens, however this ends up, it'll be because of us no one else. Come on.”

Robert stood watching as he walked towards the pub. This confident Aaron wasn't new, not entirely, but it wasn't a side that he saw as much of before, there was always something knocking it back, even as recently as the previous night but Robert could see the change. Smiling he jogged to catch up with him, fingers finding Aaron's, keeping hold.

He gets a wonderful feeling of deja vu as they step into the pub when the place goes quiet. Chas is behind the bar, the place fairly empty and Robert can see his nieces in the corner booth colouring. He wants to go to them but Aaron has his hand in a vice grip, belying his outer confidence.

“Tell me I'm seeing things.” Is all she says, eyes not meeting Robert’s, gaze boring into her son’s. “Tell me you are not holding his hand.”

“He's holding mine actually. Vic’s fine by the way.” Robert would swear she almost growls and he'd laugh if he didn't value his life. “Whatever you want to say, save it. We're here to get the girls, that's it.”

“I can't believe you're that stupid! Whatever he's said you know it's a pack of lies don't you, you know he'll hurt you again. He can't help himself!” Robert looks down at the floor, not because she's right but because it hurts to hear how much she hates him. When he looks up again he sees his nieces watching, having heard the loud voices, unsure what's going on.

“Chas, not in front of them, you're better than that.” He reluctantly pulls his hand from Aaron's, goes over to them. “Hey troubles, can you be good for me and go and pack your things away then you're coming home with me and Aaron.” He winces at his words, knowing what Chas will say but he doesn't turn until the girls have disappeared into the back.

“Aaron have you lost your mind? Look what happened last time!”

“Mum I told you to leave it. I know what I'm doing and you either respect that or you stay out of it.”

She doesn't say anything, she knows when Aaron is serious, same as Robert does. Before anyone can say more they have their arms full of two girls. After Louise has nearly took his head off with her backpack he grins at her.

“Where's Mummy?” 

“Mummy and Daddy are at the hospital, and you know what? You've got a new baby brother.” He looks at Abigail in Aaron’s arms. “We can go and see him tomorrow, hmm?” She nods eyes lighting up. “You go with Aaron, I'll be there in a minute.”

“Robert…”

“It's fine, I'll be there in a sec.” When they've gone he turns to Chas. “You don't like me, I get that, I even understand it, but I'm not going to hurt him, not again.”

“You will, you might not want to, but you can't help yourself.”

*************************

It's gone nine by the time the girls have stopped coming in asking for a drink or complaining they can't sleep, and they can talk. Liv is upstairs and Robert has since discovered that she lives in the other flat when she's home and they are in the living room on the sofa. The dog, Aaron having collected him from Paddy on his own, was snoring at their feet.

“I'd apologise for Mum, but if I did every time she said something I'd never do anything else.”

“You don't have to. Not like I haven't heard it or thought it before. I don't want to talk about your Mum...except, well twice now she's implied you weren't...were you being honest when you said you hadn't hurt yourself?” Aaron doesn't say anything just fiddles with the edge of the cushion he's holding. “Aaron?”

“I didn't cut myself, I promise. You know that, I saw you look.” Robert nods, of course he'd checked, it was a habit that he'd got into after all. “I started running again, not as bad as before, but it was...I needed space, you know what it was like at the pub. I probably did overdo it but she panicked. Don't look like that…”

“I'm sorry, I am.” He doesn't know what else to say.

“I know, I always knew that. We're just going round in circles. It's done, all of it.”

“So, what now?” One of them has to make the move, start the conversation they need to have.

“New start I guess. We’ll get nowhere if we keep bringing up the past.” 

“I...er...better find somewhere to live then.” Aaron looks up, surprise crossing his face. “What? Too fast?”

“You've definitely decided to move back then? You'd give up everything, your life there, just like that?”

“Aaron, not to sound corny, but I don't have a life there. It's a nice city sure but apart from people at work dragging me out or setting me up, I don't have much of a social life. My family is here.” He really won't miss much at all, maybe the people at work but they're nothing compared to the people in the village even if they hate him. “I want to be back here, with you.”

“You could move in here.” Oh how he wants to, but they said slow and he knows that won't happen if he moves back in straight away. This already feels way too normal, too comfortable and he could easily get used to it but it's not the time, not yet.

“No. Not that I don't want to, but we need time. I'm not going to mess this up, it's too important but...I love you Aaron Dingle, I never stopped.” Aaron smiles as he remembers saying it himself what feels like a lifetime ago.

“I love you too.” With that he straddles Robert's lap, kissing him fiercely, hands tangling in Robert's hair. Robert relaxed, a weight finally lifting from his shoulders after so long. It would still take time and they would no doubt face opposition but he didn't care, he had Aaron back and he didn't plan on letting go.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was going to be an epilogue...but it got a bit out of hand, so there's one more (definitely this time) chapter to come.
> 
> This is little snapshots between Aaron and Robert over a few months. 
> 
> Enjoy!

“Do you have everything? Passport, tickets?” Robert stood, hands on hips in the airport lounge in front of Liv. Once Aaron had agreed she hadn't taken long to finalise her trip and now a few weeks later she was leaving. Aaron was off exchanging currency, well more currency, to be exact.

“For the hundredth time, yes!” She looked every inch the confident traveller, backpack by her feet, new clothes, sunglasses pushed onto the top of her head, so different from the fifteen year old schoolgirl he'd left behind. “You will look after Aaron won't you?”

“Of course.” He hadn't believed that the two of them could grow closer than they were but since he'd left they had. “Hey, Liv, you are alright with this, me and Aaron, aren't you?” Everything has happened so quickly they've not had chance to talk properly. He’d had to get back to Cardiff soon after Vic and the baby had been allowed home and he and Aaron had been existing on phone calls and the odd day together until Robert could finish work and sell his flat.

“God you're still daft!”

“That's a yes then is it?” He puts his arm around her, hugging her close. “We’ll be fine, don't worry about us, I'll be back in Emmerdale soon enough.”

“Someone has to. Course, if you took the flat, you could be there a lot quicker.” It was an argument they'd been having for the last few weeks, since she booked her trip.

“I'm not taking over your home, I told you. Let's not go through this again.”

“But you and Aaron need to be together, otherwise you won't ever get sorted.”

“Yes we will. Look, Liv, I promise you I'm not going anywhere, OK? I'll be back in the village by the time you get back. Aaron and I are going to be fine.” He mentally crossed his fingers, because while he would reassure her, and he and Aaron may well have agreed to try again, they still had a lot to talk about and phone calls and rushed trips weren't giving them the opportunity. “And even if we're not, I'll still be there for you. I won't disappear again.”

“Ok,” she frowns, “just...Chas is still having a go, so he’s…” Robert knew that, whenever he'd been in the village the avoidance of the pub had been obvious. He could only hope Chas would give up before too long, though he had his doubts, the woman could hold a grudge better than anyone he knew.

“I get it, alright. Aaron's stronger than any of us give him credit for sometimes. Now listen, You have the best time and we want postcards or phone calls every now and then, if only to stop Aaron jumping on a plane to check on you. Don't worry about anything back here, just enjoy yourself.”

“I will. Oh finally!” She turns to face her brother, eyes shining.

“Here, don't spend it all in the first week.” She takes the money from him before flinging her arms around him. Aaron runs a hand over her hair before letting her go. “Please be careful, please don't get arrested, or cause some kind of diplomatic incident.” He laughs as she hits him. “You sure you've got everything?”

“Oh for God’s...yes! I've just done this with him,” she waves a hand in Robert's direction.

“Flight BA213 to Tokyo is ready for boarding at gate 4.”

“That's you, Liv. Come here.” Robert holds his arms out, pulling her into a hug.

He lets her go, watches Aaron hug her tight, seemingly not wanting to let her go, until she pulls away and picks up her backpack. She gives them both a blinding smile before making her way to the gate, waving once more before she disappears from view. Robert feels Aaron's hand clasp his own.

“She’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, she will.”

*************************

“It's me, you alright?” Robert sat back in his office chair as he heard Aaron’s voice. He wasn't supposed to be at work but he'd left some paperwork outstanding so he'd popped back in. He was almost ready to move back to Emmerdale, with just the packing of his flat to finish.

“Yeah. Just finishing off a few things. You heard from Liv this week?” She'd been gone nearly five weeks and had called once a week so far with a few texts to Robert, mainly nagging him about moving.

“Not yet. I just called to say I'll be with you about noon tomorrow.” He'd insisted on helping and Robert couldn't wait to see him. “Be good to get away.” Robert could tell he was trying to sound light, but he knew him well enough to know he wasn't entirely happy.

“What is it?”

“Just Mum. She's been rounding up the family, sending them round. Cain even offered to come on a scrap run.” Robert closed his eyes, before getting up and shutting the door to his office. He knew Chas could hold a grudge and he didn't blame her one bit if he was honest with himself but it wasn't doing Aaron any good. “Are you sure this is the right thing to be doing?” Robert’s heart probably would have skipped a beat but he knew Aaron wanted them to be together. This was something else.

“What do you mean?”

“How are we going to get a chance to give this a fair try in the village, with everyone watching, judging.”

“You want to, what? Move here...Aaron…” Robert was sad and angry that Aaron felt like this, that his own family was causing him to feel like this, and Robert wasn’t with him, couldn’t make it better.

“No.” He sighed after a few seconds silence. “No I know we’re doing the right thing...it’s just all this with Mum…”

“Want me to have a word?”

“God, no. Why would you do that?”

“She's making you not want to be in the village, Aaron, that's not fair. I'll talk to her, you can't just keep avoiding her and I know you have because Liv told me you don't go near the pub.” Robert knows how much it took for Aaron to leave the village when he went to France, and he had less keeping him there than he did now, for him to even consider it wasn’t good.

“Leave it, Robert. She's not going to change, you'll just wind her up. I've told them all that we’re together, that they either like it or they keep their noses out.” Robert can't deny the smile that crosses his face at hearing that but at the same time he doesn't want to be the cause of Aaron losing his family.

“That sounds so good, you know.”

“What does?” Robert can hear the smile in his voice.

“That we’re together. I...didn't think I'd get that chance again.”

“Can't get rid of you, can I?”

“Not without a fight!” They both laugh and Robert is counting down the hours until he can be with Aaron again, can be home again.

“I should go, let you get on, or you'll never get here. See you tomorrow.”

“Can't wait.”

**************************

Robert pulls his car to a stop outside the pub and steps out into the sunshine. Aaron isn't far behind him, a truck borrowed from Jimmy stuffed full of Robert’s belongings. He was finally home. He drew in a deep breath, it felt good to be back. He could remember coming back the last time, thinking maybe one day he could come back without a cloud of disappointment over his head, and now, finally, he could. It felt amazing.

“Oi! I know you're getting old but this isn't where you're living.” He turns round to see Aaron hanging out of the window of the truck. “You might remember agreeing that Liv and I were right and saying yes to moving into her flat.”

“Not quite how I remember it! I remember threats were made about me getting my arse back from Cardiff or else!” It had taken longer than expected to get everything sorted, work delays and lack of places to rent in or near the village meant he and Aaron were both getting frustrated with being apart. In the end he'd had to admit that staying in Liv's flat made sense and so here he was.

“So what are you doing here.”

“Just thought I'd call in on Vic, else she’ll just burst in at the worst moment possible. Won't be long.” He felt bad lying but he knew Aaron would stop him if he knew where he was going.

“You just want a cuddle with your nephew, admit it.”

“You got me. You put the kettle on, I won't be long.” Aaron smiled and winked at him before driving away. Robert turned back to the pub, locked his car and took a deep breath before heading inside.

The pub is fairly full when he walks in, though thankfully the only Dingles are Chas and Charity. He's not sure he can handle any more than that.

“What do you want?”

“A word.” He puts his hands on the bar leaning closer, “In the back?”

“I can think of two.” He says nothing just stands his ground. “Out here is fine.”

“Fine, no skin off my nose either way. You're going to end up losing him, you know that, don't you?” No point beating around the bush.

“I don't know what you mean.”

“Aaron. You think it's good for him to have his family on his back all the time. He's made his choice. _He_ made it, Chas, not me. I'd have kept away if I had to, but he wants us to be together.”

“He always was blind when he came to you. He’ll see through you one day.” She leans across the bar to whisper in his ear. “If I can help him see what a lowlife you are, I will.”

He shrugs, “Fine, you carry on, but unless he tells me otherwise, I'm going nowhere. I'm not surprised he was talking about staying in Cardiff with me if this is what's been going on.” He gets a little enjoyment out of the shock and fear on her face. “You keep pushing and you’ll lose him for good. I'll see you.” He pushes away from the bar, turning to leave.

“Not going to tell me how you've changed?” She sneers.

“Would it make a difference? The only person’s opinion I care about is Aaron’s. The rest of you can go to hell for all I care.” He’s done explaining himself, making excuses, not that there are any. He’s talked with Aaron, they’ve both cried, shouted, wanted to hit things but now they’re in a better place, ready to move on and start again. No one else matters.

He doesn't wait for a response, just leaves and gets back in his car. When he reaches the Mill he smiles, Aaron's started unloading his stuff.

“How's Mum?” Robert frowns, “I'm not an idiot, Robert, and Vic and Adam have taken the kids out for the day, she just text to say she'd be round tomorrow.”

“Sorry.” Aaron just looks at him, “Alright, I’m not sorry. She probably won’t stop but I had to try. I don’t want to be the reason you and your Mum stop talking.”

“You’re not. I know what I want...who I want and everyone can just get used to it. Now I’m not lugging this lot inside on my own. Get over here and help me!”

*******************************

Robert was just on the edges of sleep when there was a knock at the door. Knowing it was either Aaron or maybe his sister he dragged himself out of bed to answer it. Aaron stood there in his pyjamas and t-shirt.

"Aaron? You alright?" He asked, scrubbing his hands through his hair, swallowing back a yawn. He was tired. He’d spent the morning trying to decide what he wanted to do for work now he was back, and then he’d taken his nieces off Victoria’s hands for the afternoon and they’d run him ragged.

"Couldn't sleep. Can I come in?"

"Why don't I come down to you, then if you fall back to sleep you're in your own bed." Robert knew he slept better in his own bed.

When Aaron nodded, Robert grabbed his keys and followed him into the other flat. He busied himself making tea before joining Aaron in the bedroom. This wasn't the first time Aaron had turned up on his doorstep and they'd got a routine going now.

“Here.” He handed Aaron his mug. He was sitting cross legged on top of the duvet staring at his hands. Robert sat next to him, tucking his feet under the duvet. Aaron smiled at that, Robert’s feet were always cold even in summer. “You want to talk?” Aaron shook his head. “Come here then.” Robert lifted his free arm, waited for Aaron to shift and tuck his head against Robert’s collarbone before resting his arm around Aaron’s shoulder. They sat in silence for a while, their mugs of tea warming their hands.

“Can I ask you something?” Robert’s voice is quiet but Aaron hears him moves to look up at him.

“Of course.”

“Liv said...when you came to my flat, that you hadn’t moved on, that I should ask you. I wasn’t going to but we said we’d talk more, try not to keep stuff from each other...doesn’t matter.” It’s been eating away at him for a while. Liv’s not stupid, she said it for a reason, and Robert has nearly asked so many times but it never felt like the right time.

“I’m gonna ban my sister from talking to you!”

“We’re both blessed with sisters with big mouths. Don’t knock it though...you think we’d have got back here if they hadn’t.” Aaron hums in agreement.

“I don’t...I dated, it took a long time before I even considered it but eventually...anyway there was one guy, made it past the first couple of dates. I didn’t...really know whether I felt anything for him but once Mum found out, thanks to Adam’s big mouth, I felt...pressured isn’t the right word, but everyone expected me to be over you, so I kept seeing him. He was...nice, Mum liked him, Liv liked him.”

“Always a good qualification.” Robert didn’t realise it’d be this hard listening to Aaron talk about dating someone else. It physically hurt and he wanted to shout at him to shut up, to stop talking but he couldn’t, he’d asked after all. “I bet Chas was ready to throw a parade.”

“Probably. Anyway like I say, he was nice but that was the problem. It was...I could see us, years in the future and it was normal.”

“Boring?”

“Yeah. Not something anyone can accuse us of being. Long story short, I ended it. Mum reacted much as you’d expect. Liv was the only one who got where I was coming from, knew the real reason I ended it.”

“Which was?”

“He wasn’t you. I still missed you, hadn’t moved on one bit, no matter how much I and other people tried to tell me I had.” Aaron turned to put down his mug before wrapping himself impossibly closer to Robert, dragging the duvet up the bed to cover them. “You wanna spill your ‘moving on’ stories now?”

“Don’t really have any. Nobody lasted more than a few weeks, much like you. We’re really quite hopeless aren’t we?”

“Mmmhmm. Guess it’s a good thing we got back together then.” Robert could hear his slurred words as he neared his way back to sleep.

“Hopeless together then?” Aaron didn’t answer so Robert just kept hold of him, trying to find sleep himself despite the less than comfortable position.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's the last chapter. I hope it lives up to expectations!
> 
> I am honestly amazed by the comments I've got for this. I thought everyone would hate it considering everything on screen so thank you so much to everyone who commented.
> 
> This is the longest fic I've ever written by myself and I'm amazed that I did it.
> 
> Enjoy!

“Aaron! Come on, we're going to be late!” Robert called up the stairs.

“I think they'll wait for us!” Comes the muffled voice from their bedroom. Robert looked at his watch, they were already cutting it fine. “It was your fault anyway!” He looked up as Aaron came down the stairs couldn't take his eyes off the man in front of him. 

It wasn't that he was wearing anything new or out of the ordinary. In fact Robert had seen him in the slate grey trousers a few times, could remembered peeling them off his body more than once. That coupled with the crisp white shirt was enough to have him contemplating locking the world out and going straight back to bed. 

“Can I help it if my husband is irresistible? It’s traditional to be late though, isn’t it?”

“Our own wedding reception? And you think Vic will accept that?” Aaron grinned as he pulled on his suit jacket. “We’re lucky she even let us come back here after the registry office! Come on.”

Aaron’s right, they’d been lucky to escape his sister when they left Hotten registry office. They’d made their move while she was flicking through the photographs she’d taken on the steps, both of them wanting to be alone. He’d seen Aaron wink at Adam as they left so he’d known they wouldn’t be interrupted when they got back to the flat. He would have gladly stayed there the whole night but Victoria had arranged a reception at the pub and she wasn’t going to be dissuaded. 

Robert still couldn't quite believe he was here, walking through the village, hand in hand with Aaron. It had been just under two years since he'd reluctantly come back to the village, when he and Aaron had taken the first steps to getting back together. It was a cliche to say he had to pinch himself to make sure it was real but he did.

When they reach the pub, Robert stops, leans to kiss Aaron, first on the lips, then the cheek before resting his head on Aaron's shoulder, enjoying the tranquility before they braved the madness of a Dingle/Sugden party.

“You alright,” Aaron murmured, hand running across Robert’s back.

“Mmm, just happy.” He is, he really is. He didn’t think he would be again, but this past year and a half had been the happiest of his life.

“Soft lad.”

Robert huffs a laugh and moves away, taking Aaron's hand again. “Come on. This is going to be unbearable isn't it?”

“Least you won't have to drink out of the welly again.” They laugh and Robert puts his arm round Aaron's waist. “Though I wouldn't put anything past Cain.”

“Oh no! No way, Aaron...promise me.”

“Aw, come on, I'll protect you.”

Hand in hand they walk into the pub, the wall of noise hitting them as soon as they got to the door. Robert still felt a small thrill of trepidation run through him, remembering all the times he'd been told he wasn't welcome, many of them coming after Aaron had let him back into his life. 

It hadn't taken long for he and Aaron to move back in together, mere months in fact, but the time in separate flats had given them time to talk, to make sure this was the right thing, and it was. Winning Aaron's family round had been another matter. Chas had remained hostile, less openly, at least when Aaron was around, but still hostile. When Robert was on his own he put up with her comments. He'd like to say he'd let the comments pass over him, the only person he worried about was Aaron like he told her, but they still stung. The rest of Dingle family, even Cain, were easier to deal with. For one thing they didn't see them often, but when they did they were nothing more than icily polite. Robert could deal with it, and wasn't going to question it. No point poking a sleeping bear in his opinion.

It had got better, they still weren’t how they’d been before but he could sit at the same table as them and not have to watch his every move. That was an improvement. Chas was talking to him, he didn’t think they’d ever get back to how it was before but as long as she wasn’t making Aaron miserable he could live with it. He did miss her though, strangely.

“We were about to send out a search party for you two,” Is what greets them as they walk in the door. His sister has his nephew in her arms and he immediately reaches for Robert. Robert takes him, running a hand through his hair. Adam is already handing Aaron a pint and he sees Chas smiling at her son.

“We can be fashionably late to our own party, Vic.” Aaron tells her ignoring the look he receives in return.

“That’s the wedding, and you did that too! Come here. I’m so happy!” 

Robert doesn’t know how long they spend caught up in hugs and good wishes from everyone in the pub. Chas does no more than a quick peck on the cheek, probably because Aaron is watching, and a look that tells him not to mess up again.

It’s a good night, the only thing missing is Liv. Her year of travels had turned into two with very brief visits home. He knew Aaron missed her and when they’d decided to get married again, legally this time, he’d called her and tried to get her home. She’d said she would but so far there was no sign of her. Robert hadn’t mentioned it to Aaron, had wanted it to be a surprise, but when had they ever turned out well for him.

He thought back to that night, as he sat in one of the Woolpack’s booths, his nephew sleeping on his lap, watching his nieces playing. He knew he wanted to marry Aaron again, properly, legally but he didn’t know how to ask, not after everything. He hadn’t wanted to make a big thing of it, he’d tried that. He knew Aaron still had his ring even though neither of them had put them back on in the six months they’d been properly back together, both of them seemingly waiting for something. In the end it had been Aaron who’d brought the subject up, one night when they were slouched in front of the telly, almost as simple as asking what he wanted for tea the next night, very Aaron and strangely perfect.

“About time you made a speech, Sugden.” Robert will deny to his dying day that he jumped when Cain clapped a hand on his shoulder, but his heart does race and Caleb squirms at the sudden movement.

“Already did that, Cain, remember?” He’s feeling brave after a few pints, or stupid, he’s not sure. Aaron is somewhere, he can hear him laughing but he can’t see him.

“Speech or welly. Your choice.” With that he leaves.

“Well buddy, it looks like Uncle Robert is going to make a speech, because there’s no way in hell he’s drinking from that welly ever again. Come on, let’s find your Mum.”

When he’s handed him over to Victoria he finds Aaron and leads him over to the bar, smiling softly at his husband who is very slightly drunk but still utterly gorgeous and Robert wishes they were anywhere but here.

“Oi, you lot, shut up. Sugden wants to make a speech.” He sighs, keeps hold of Aaron’s hand.

“Want is pushing it Cain!” He huffs out a breath, smiles at Aaron. “Alright...I didn’t plan this, not like last time,” He swallows, pushes past the bad memories of what happened after his last speech, “Aaron, I’m not going to make any promises, I did that before and I let you down,” He holds a finger to Aaron’s lips as he goes to protest, “No wait, I did, I let everyone down, I know that. I thought I’d lost you, I deserved to lose you. Most people wouldn’t have given me another chance, wouldn’t have given it a second thought, but then you’re not most people, are you Aaron Dingle. You’re amazing. I won’t promise not to hurt you again because I have no doubt that we will hurt each other in some way, but I can say that I’ll keep trying to be the man you need me to be, who you want me to be.” He can feel the tears in his eyes, tries to blink them away. “I love you.”

He doesn't see anyone else in the room, they fade into the distance as Aaron kisses him. It might just be a peck on the lips, it is Aaron after all, but to Robert it's perfect. Eventually Aaron pulls away, turns to face the room. Robert keeps his gaze on him, doesn't want to see anyone else’s reaction.

“Right, well, guess it’s my turn. You, don’t need to change. You are the man I want you to be, you always were, deep down. You all thought I was mad to take him back, I know that. I think even Robert had his doubts,” Robert smiles as Aaron turns sparkling eyes on him, “But I know that we both made mistakes, probably will again, everybody in this room has at some point. I also know that those years without him were almost unbearable. I want to be with him, I want to be married to him. Let’s face it I wouldn’t be standing here giving a speech about anyone else, would I?” With that Aaron turns away from everyone, faces Robert and leans to whisper in his ear, “I love you Mr Dingle.”

Robert still doesn't look at anyone but Aaron, he hears the murmuring of them all at his words, but he doesn't care, he's still taking in the fact that Aaron just made a speech, about him, in public.

“I love you, Mr Sugden.” He wraps his arms around Aaron’s waist, needing him close. “I want to go home.” Aaron nods, and they quickly say their goodbyes ready to leave the pub when the door opens.

“Party over already? Couldn’t wait for me then?”

“Liv! What...you weren’t meant to be back for another month.” Aaron pulls her into a hug, doesn’t let her go. Robert knows how much he misses her, Robert does too and when Aaron finally lets her go, Robert is waiting for his own welcome home hug.

“Liv and I cooked up a surprise.” Robert tells Aaron who is still looking slightly stunned. “Would have worked too, if someone could get here on time!”

“Oi! What did you want me to do, fly the damn plane myself? Did you miss me then?” He still can’t get over how grown up she is. He knows it’s daft, it’s been about ten years since she arrived on Aaron’s doorstep but he still sees her as that fiery, obnoxious teenager. Then again sometimes she can still be obnoxious.

“I didn’t miss the cheek!” He knows Aaron hasn’t seen her for so long but he really wants to leave. He won’t though, not until Aaron’s ready. His husband, that still sounds so good, surprises him though.

“We were just heading home...I didn’t know you were...we’ll stay, right Robert?”

“Don’t be daft, Aaron. Like I want to watch you two all over each other. I’ll see you tomorrow. Take your husband home. I expect an expensive lunch though, just so you know.” Aaron hugs her again, his hand brushing down her hair, kissing the top of her head before letting her go. Robert hugs her quickly, whispering his thanks, before taking Aaron by the hand and leaving the pub, ignoring the jibes he can hear, he thinks from his brother-in-law.

“Thank you.” Aaron says when they’re halfway to the Mill, hand in hand again.

“What for?”

“Getting Liv back. I know she was late but you wanted her here for the wedding.”

“One of these days one of my surprises will work.” He can’t help but laugh at Aaron’s face.

“I’m being serious!”

“So am I!” He steals a kiss, not caring one bit that they’re in the middle of the village. “Come on...it’s our wedding night.”

Aaron laughs and they carry on towards the flat and Robert feels as though his heart is going to burst from happiness. He loves the man at his side so much and they’re happy again, and married, again. Aaron told him once that before the first wedding he’d told Paddy that he was happy, and that’s what Robert feels now, pure happiness at having his second chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know some people wanted Chas and Robert sorted by the end but they're getting there, they will get there!

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on tumblr  @nooneelsecomesclose17


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